KNOTS
Maniac Magee
Chapter summary
- This chapter is all about the Battle of the Century: Maniac Magee versus Cobble's Knot.
- It's not a race; he doesn't beat the knot in a great flurry. Rather he pokes and prods, picks and pulls.
- Both black and white people are watching, because Cobble's sits on Hector Street, the border between East and West End.
- At lunchtime, the audience that had gotten bored comes back and can finally see progress. The Knot is now floppy and loose, not tight and crusty. Soon, Maniac finds the end.
- The end is near. But first, Maniac needs some butterscotch Krimpets and a nap.
- Refreshed, he goes for it. And wins.
- The crowd goes wild!
duble fishermens knot
This knot securely ties two ropes together or can be used to fasten the ends of a rope or cord to make a loop. Rarely used in fishing, the Double Fisherman’s is a good knot for tying two ropes together. It is essentially two knots that slide together when tightened to form the finished knot. Tying just one side of the knot is also used by mountain climbers to tie a “backup” knot with the tag (free) end of the primary knot. When tied in short lengths of rope, kayakers and canoeists use the knot to secure rope “grab handles” to their boats.
honda knot
This is the knot all cowboys use to form their lasso or lariat. The Honda Knot creates the most nearly-perfect circle of any knot. Its round shape, especially when tied in stiff rope, helps it slide freely along the rope it is tied around which is what makes it good for a lariat.
figur 8
The figure eight follow through is one of the strongest knots. It forms a secure, non-slip loop at the end of a rope. Also known as the Flemish Bend, this is the most widely used tie-in knot by mountain climbers. The reason is that it is strong, secure and easy to visually inspect. Climbers often further secure it by tying a back up knot with the tag end.
The knot can also be tied by tying a Figure Eight Knot with doubled line at the end of a rope (Step 1, but don’t come back through the bottom loop). It is faster but cannot be used if tying into a fixed object, so it is good to learn to tie this knot as the “Figure Eight Follow Through”. A single Figure Eight also makes a good “Stopper Knot” at the end of a rope (Step 1 with the single line but don’t come back up through the bottom loop).
The knot can also be tied by tying a Figure Eight Knot with doubled line at the end of a rope (Step 1, but don’t come back through the bottom loop). It is faster but cannot be used if tying into a fixed object, so it is good to learn to tie this knot as the “Figure Eight Follow Through”. A single Figure Eight also makes a good “Stopper Knot” at the end of a rope (Step 1 with the single line but don’t come back up through the bottom loop).